Castles of Ireland


Book Description

Castles are the most familiar medieval landmark across the Irish countryside. Their often romantic appearance belies their turbulent history and their lore abounds in stories of sieges, betrayals and daring escapes. From the earliest stone castles such as Dublin Castle to the fortified manor houses such as Red Hugh O'Donnell's Donegal Castle, each has a fascinating and individual story to tell. Castles of Ireland brings the reader on a tour of more than sixty castles, from the biggest and most well-known to dramatic and atmospheric ruins which had a role to play in shaping Ireland's history.




Ireland Encastellated AD 950-1550


Book Description

Despite an ever-expanding literature on Irish castles, the relationships between the castle building tradition in Ireland and those of contemporary Europe have attracted very little attention among Irish scholars. This book seeks to remedy this by approaching the corpus of Irish castles as a non-Irish scholar might do. Is there a case for dating the first castles in Ireland to the tenth century in line with the revised chronology of castle-building on the Continent? Are castles in Ireland typical of their periods by contemporary standards in England and France in particular? Are any castles in Ireland genuinely innovative or radical by those contemporary standards? What inferences about Ireland's place in medieval Europe can be drawn from the evidence of its castles and their forms?




Castles of Ireland


Book Description




Castles


Book Description

Presents original maps, plans and archive illustrations alongside hundreds of photographs, showing ruins and surviving castles in their glory. This work includes descriptions of hundreds of special buildings, from remote ruins in isolated settings to imposing piles in towns and cities.




Blarney Castle


Book Description

Blarney Castle, the medieval home of the MacCarthy lords of Muskerry, is one of Ireland's best-known castles. Many visitors to Ireland include a trip to the castle in their itinerary, often queuing to kiss the Blarney Stone in hope of acquiring the 'gift of the gab.' Yet, despite the castle's ubiquitous image on postcards and tourist promotional literature, there is little acknowledgment of the building's historical and archaeological significance as a native lordly residence. This book - now available in paperback - brings the castle's architecture to the fore, placing it in the context of an expansive native lordship in late medieval Munster, and showing how changes in the layout and appearance of the building can be attributed to the castle's occupants, who continued to redefine their social standing and cultural identity through the Tudor reconquest and beyond.




Castles in Ireland


Book Description

The castles of Ireland are an essential part of the story of medieval Europe, but were, until recently, a subject neglected by scholars. Dr McNeill weaves the evidence from the castles into the story of lordship and power in medieval Eire.




Castles and Ancient Monuments of Ireland


Book Description

From the rich green fields of its lowlands to its rugged hills and coasts, Ireland’s constantly changing countryside is bestrewn with castles, abbeys, and a rich variety of ancient monuments. This outstanding guide will show travelers how to discover these treasures for themselves. Castles & Ancient Monuments of Ireland describes and illustrates more than 150 of the country’s most beautiful and important historic sites, from Neolithic tombs and stone circles to medieval tower houses. Packed with color photos, maps, directions, visitor information, and intriguing background details, this is the perfect companion to exploring Ireland’s past.




Exploring Ireland's Castles


Book Description

Whether ruined or opulant, castles can fire the imagination. Here is a breathtaking tour of some of Ireland's lesser known castles, accompanied by hundreds of color photos, and true stories of duels, derring-do, and defiance.




Castles of Britain and Ireland


Book Description

This text aims to bring to life every aspect of castles and castle life: why and how they were built; the weapons that were used; their social life in ordinary and extraordinary times; their provisioning; their maintenance; and their changing role in a continually evolving political climate.




The Three Castles of Dublin


Book Description

The Three Castles of Dublin have been the symbol of the city since 1230, when they first appeared on a city seal as three watchtowers over one of the city's fortified main gates. This book covers the history of the city with chronological examples of the three castles photographed.